


A Gift to Cherish

by melxncholly



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman Beyond
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Time Travel, jtbdayweek, slight dick/mary mcginnis bc its funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 11:02:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20226775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melxncholly/pseuds/melxncholly
Summary: The wonderful thing about being hurdled through time and space is that Jason doesn’t have to deal with the fallout of not listening to Bruce.The awful, terrible, no good very bad part of hurtling through time and space is that he has no idea where he is. It’s all up to wormhole he was thrown into to decide where he gets spit out to.In which Jason is thrown into a future he never came back to, and gets to heal, just a little bit.





	A Gift to Cherish

**Author's Note:**

> the ending kinda sucks, but the the author is her own worst critic so! yeah! again, more stuff with bruce, jason, and my boy terry

The wonderful thing about being hurdled through time and space is that Jason doesn’t have to deal with the fallout of not listening to Bruce. 

The awful, terrible, no good very bad part of hurtling through time and space is that he has no idea where he is. It’s all up to wormhole he was thrown into to decide where he gets spit out to.

When Jason stands, it’s on shaky legs. The memories of the fight and his subsequent impromptu wormhole trip are… hazy, at best. He was with Bruce, he didn’t listen, he got zapped. His helmet is cracked, some shards cutting into his face. His head hurts like something awful, and Jason has a shaking suspicion he’s going to vomit.

The HUD to his helmet is broken too, it has to be. Between the static readings on the inside, things just look… Not right. 

Or, Jason’s going crazy. 

Again.

His movements are jerky as he reaches up to remove his helmet. It feels like the world is spinning, but he’s just swaying on his feet. It’s been a while since a fights made him feel as awful as this.

The helmet slips from Jason’s fingers once he really takes a look. He must have cracked his head harder than he thought.

In front of him stands Gotham, blinding white lights illuminating the futuristic towers that lit up the night sky. Neon holographic signs hovered over the highways, where cars flew past, also hovering slightly above the road. The Wayne Enterprises stood still, the one familiar sight among the insanity before him.

“Aw hell.” His mouth is dry, and Jason can feel the bile threatening to come up. “Toto,” he says to himself, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

“Of course not.” A voice sounded from behind Jason, and he stumbles when he turns to look. His head throbs when Jason moves too fast, his stomach churns. The sight is almost familiar. The black bodysuit reminds him of Nightwing, but where the blue bird would be, instead glowed a red bat.

The full cowl was new too.

“Wanna tell me how you got to Gotham pal?”

This time, Jason really did throw up.

.

“It’s not funny Bruce!” Terry winced as he stripped off the suit. “It’s disgusting!”

“It’s a little funny.” Bruce deadpanned from where he sat. Their mystery guest had taken to breaking off from them and jumping into the shower, not that Terry could blame him.

An apparent relation of Bruce’s from an alternate timeline and dimension wasn’t something you saw everyday, and based on Bruce’s reaction, something that was deeply unsettling to him too.

“Yeah, well next time you put on the suit and get vommed on, and I’ll have a nice night drinking coffee and playing on the computer.” He made a face as he held the batsuit a good arms length away, blanching at the smell.

Yeah, not how he pictured his night going.

.

The water was hot where it hit his back. Jason was thankful at least that he could relax a bit. Those first few moments were tense, between Jason hurling on this new “Batman”, and the argument after, Jason was thankful that he apparently could be vouched for. 

Even if he didn’t know who was vouching for him. 

After that, and the flight back to the cave, Jason explained how he had gotten there, and how “Batman” tracked him down.

_ “There was an energy spike,” _ He had explained.  _ “I was on my way back when the Batwing picked it up, and then I found you.” _

_ “Makes sense,” _ his stomach was still doing flips, and his head was pounding. It probably wasn’t the smartest idea to just… get in, but Jason made a living of making bad moves.

He had headed straight to the showers as soon as they landed, the need to vomit and wash the stink of the bile that was on him the precedent over everything else. Tipping his head back he took in a mouthful of water, swishing it around before spitting it back out. His mouth still tasted gross, and his head and stomach still hurt, but he was feeling at least a little better.

Jason turned the shower off, and he stood leaning against the shower wall under the spray eventually fizzled out. He took his time getting out and drying off. Off to the side sat some old clothes, a T-shirt and sweats that Jason figured Batman but have left him. He dressed quickly, leaving his uniform off to the side to be forgotten about until later. The mirror caught his reflection, and Jason winced. He looked as bad as he felt. His skin was pale, his hair sticking wetly to his face. Bags hung heavy under his eyes, and the he could see the beginning of bruising on the left side of his face where he had gotten hit. There were a few tiny gashes where his helmet had cut into his face.

The shirt he wore had an old faded insignia of Gotham U, one of Dick's if Jason remembered correctly.

He made a face at himself before leaving. Despite the change in time, it was good to see nothing changed. Good old Bruce. 

"Hey." A voice greeted him, and Jason had to do a double take to make sure he was looking at the right person. A young man stood, leaning against the computer console, and if Jason didn't know any better, he'd say he was the spitting image of Bruce from the few pictures he'd seen of the man when he was younger. There were differences of course, but they were small enough for Jason to see the big picture.

"I'm Terry." He continued, extending a hand out to Jason, before thinking better of it. "Actually- how are you feeling man?"

"Lousy." He stretched his arms out in front of him, taking in the cave around him. Exactly the same- with a few small differences.

"Yeah, you look like you've been through the ringer." Terry hummed. "The old man went to go grab some stuff upstairs, but he's already working on how to get you back."

Jason nodded, only half listening. Kid must be Damian's son, or maybe Bruce had another kid in this strange future. Some things were covered in sheets, preventing dust and grime. It was fitting that the case that held his Robin suit was covered too. He didn't know if he preferred that over seeing it.

"How old are you kid?" Jason said after a moment. "The old man really letting you go out there?"

"Oh please," Jason could practically feel the kid rolling his eyes from behind him. "Wayne couldn't stop me if he tried."

"And I have tried." a voice said. Jason froze, not expecting the familiarity of the deep baritone. He expected Damian, or, better yet Dick. Seeing Bruce standing at the foot of the stairs, old and weathered was not who he expected to see.

He always thought of Bruce to be immortal, never growing so old. He also didn't think Bruce would ever... actually live long enough to see a future like this. The thought made his stomach churn.

"I think I'm gonna be sick again."

.

"You should be fine." Bruce said, pressing an ice pack to the bruised side of Jason's face. He was... awkward. Like he was restraining himself. From where he sat he could see the cogs in Terry's mind working.

Like he didn't know who Jason was, or who he had been to Bruce.

The thought made his blood boil.

"I'll start working on how to get you home tomorrow, but it will take some time." Bruce said. He leaned heavily against the cane in his hand, and the large dog by his side looked at Jason, as if daring him to make a wrong move. Fitting, for Bruce to have a terrifying killer dog.

"So." Jason gestured to Terry. "Care to explain old man?" 

Terry crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, I'd like some explanation's too."

Bruce was silent for a moment, before turning and walking away. "It's late. We can talk tomorrow." he said, leaving Jason behind.

Terry huffed, mildly annoyed like this was something that happened often. Like Bruce regularly kept him in the dark. 

"C'mon," he said, helping Jason to his feet. "I'll help you get settled into one of the guest rooms."

.

"You were out late." Dick says when Terry slides through the door. He jumps, cursing silently to himself as he switches on the light. Dick Grayson smiled at him from where he sat, sipping at his water, waiting for Terry to come home.

It was weird, his mom dating one of his mentors, and Bruce's son nonetheless. 

"You didn't have to wait up for me." He says, slipping his shoes off at the door. He slings his backpack over the back of the kitchen chair and collapses in it. Dick laughs a little, setting down the book he was reading to look Terry over.

"I worry. Besides, I told your mom I'd make sure you got home safe."

"Thanks." he sighs. He pillows his head in his arms, and they're both silent for a few moments. Terry likes this, having someone worried enough about him to come home safe.

"Did I ever tell you about my brother?" Dick asks suddenly. Terry picks his head up, staring at Dick for a moment.

"You mean Tim?"

"No, my other brother, the one before Tim."

Terry pouts, as if trying to think. There's... a lot he doesn't know about Bruce and Dick's family. He knows the important things, like how Martha and Thomas died, or that Bruce took Dick in when he was small. A few facts about the important people, but he didn't know that Dick had more than one sibling.

"I didn't know you had another brother." Terry says instead.

Dick smiles, settling back in his own seat. "I have four, plus a sister. Bruce... Bruce doesn't talk about us much I guess."

Terry shakes his head, yawning just a bit. The holo-clock on the wall reads 3:25, and it's way past his bed time. But one on one time with Dick didn't happen much any more. 

"Bruce took him in after I left home. He was a good kid. Funny, smart, kind, but he had a temper on him to rival the worst of them." The smile on his face is sad. "You remind me a lot of him actually." 

"Really?"

"Yeah. He was gutsy enough to steal the tires off the batmobile. Kind of like a certain someone." Dick gives him a look at this, and Terry has to stifle his laugh. He doesn't want to wake mom up. 

"Sounds like I'd like him. Is he still in the game?" At that, Dick's face falls, and Terry has a feeling he won't like where this goes. "Dick...?"

"It's why I get so nervous Terry. You remind me so much of him, I just don't want to see you get hurt like Jason."

.

Bruce is avoiding him, Jason thinks. He slept through the night, and woke up late to cold oatmeal waiting for him in the kitchen. It's fine though, Jason doesn't want to see him anyways. It's enough for him, one Bruce is enough, he doesn't need another lecture from a decrepit old Bruce.

It is... lonely though. The manor is empty, almost all the furniture covered in a thick layer of dust over thick white sheets.

Alfred has been gone a long time, and the thought hurts.

He busies himself with exploring the manor. The path to his room is familiar. The door still has deep scratches in it, where he had tried to carve his name after he began living in the manor. Bruce instead had ended up making a sign for him to hang up, rather than risk Alfred's ire.

The sign was long gone now, and the door locked tight. He left it, no reason to invade the room belonging to a dead boy.

.

"Why didn't you tell me he died."

It wouldn't be the first time Terry was angry with him, and Bruce supposed it wouldn't be the last. The teenager stood on the other side of the work bench, arms crossed as he watched Bruce work. 

"It didn't matter."

"Like hell Bruce!" the teenager slammed his hands down onto the table, and Bruce could feel the irritation in him rolling off in waves. "I don't think you understand that you actually need to tell me about these things! They affect me too!"

Bruce sighed. He had a feeling Terry wouldn't just let this go. He understood the boys anger, if Bruce was in his shoes, he'd be angry too. He pushed himself away from the workbench and stood, stretching out his joints. It would do him good to walk around a little, get some air away and out of the cave. Ace stood, standing at attention at his side. 

He reached down enough to scratch at the dogs head, smiling to himself. Terry grunted in frustration behind him.

"Don't turn away from me Bruce!" Terry reminded him so much of Jason when the boy was young. 

"What do you want me to say Terry." He looked at the teenager, and the boy paused. "My son died."

Terry was silent, and Bruce sighed. It didn't do anything to sit here and argue with him. 

"Bruce," Terry's voice was soft, and he had to strain to hear it. He turned, looking at the boy, and he just seemed... sad. "Don't you think then, instead of avoiding him, you should go get to know the man he grew up into?"

It was Bruce's turn to think, and Terry walked towards him, laying a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "You get this once in a life time gift Bruce. Don't waste it."

Bruce shrugged off the hand, turning and making his way to the computer.

Personal time could wait, he needed to get working.

.

Terry found him in the library. The kid was infuriatingly chipper, throwing himself next to Jason on the couch. 

"What do you want." He grit his teeth, tucking his legs up and near his chest so that the teen wouldn't crush them. Terry only grinned, making himself comfortable.

"If you're gonna be here a while, I might as well give you a fun time."

"I'm pretty sure that's against some of the old mans rules."

At that Terry grinned. "Hey, what Wayne doesn't know won't hurt him." The thought was appealing. Maybe getting away from the manor would be good for him, at least for a little while. He leaned towards Terry, his grin matching the teens. 

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well i'm glad you asked."

.

Jason had to admit, Neo Gotham was in a league of it's own compared to his own. Not to mention Terry was alright to be around. The kid was a little obnoxious, but he had a certain charm to him. It was an experience to see Gotham in a new light, away from the silence of the manor and the feeling of ghosts around them.

Terry brought them to an arcade for lunch. The pizza was crappy in a good way, and the games were all rigged, but it was fun.

"I take my brother here a lot." Terry said after a few games. It made sense why they'd go here then. Familiar, fun, safe in its own sort of way. Enough people that it was risky if either made a scene.

"How old is he?" He was picturing an even smaller Bruce, the same dark hair and ice blue eyes as the old man.

"Ten. His names Matt. He's a twip but y'know. Brothers. He adores our moms new boyfriend so they've been spending a lot of time together." 

Jason didn't really know. It sounded nice to have brothers, at least, in the traditional sense. He sort of wished he could have the same with his own family, but he knew it wouldn't really be possible. Too much bad blood between them.

"Sounds nice." 

Terry was silent for a moment, shifting from one foot to another.

"I didn't know." he spoke quickly, as if trying to get the words out before he forgot them. "Dick told me, last night, about you." Jason blinks at him, a little shocked that Dick of all people told Terry about him. "It sucks, y'know. I'm sorry that happened to you man."

Jason... wants to be mad. He doesn't want people knowing about the dirty details of his past, but Terry just seems so... sincere. Nice about it. He never knew Jason, he doesn't have that baggage both Dick and Bruce have. They, for whatever reason, have not shed the dirty dirty details on Jason's actions.

"Hey not your fault." Jason says. "Bruce should have done something far sooner."

"I'm not arguing there." Terry agrees with him. "It just sucks. First you, then Tim-"

What?

"What do you mean Tim?" Terry looks confused, and a little unsure. Like he's not quite sure if he should share this or not.

"I- Tim had gotten hurt by the Joker too, before the clown died." Terry says. He's quiet, as if trying to collect his thoughts. "I'm not sure the whole... timeline of things. I guess he became Robin a little after you died. Not too long after the Joker got him."

"And then he died?"

"Yeah-"

"Of course, makes perfect sense." Jason wants to punch something. He shoves himself away from the wall he was leaning on, shoving his hands into his pockets. He's pent up with restless energy, anger simmering underneath his skin. "I die, and he does nothing, but what the fucking replacement gets hurt he makes sure to get revenge."

"Jason-" Terry grabs his shoulder, and Jason shoves him off. He's itching for a smoke. Or a fight. Terry just frowns, but he doesn't seem worried.

"_Don't_," Jason growls, "Tell me to calm down. That I don't have a right to be mad." He wonders, for a moment, what his other self in this time must have done after he heard of that bullshit.

"I'm not saying you don't." Terry arms are up in a mock surrender, like he's trying to keep Jason calm. "Just... listen to me."

"What can you say. I'm stuck in this fucking time with no way to get home, and now I'm hearing that no, I didn't get justice but my replacement did? I'm sure Dickhead also told you _all_ about my sins. How I was the bad Robin? A cautionary tale that came back wrong?"

He's not sure why he's so mad. Jason has this nasty habit lately of bottling up, keeping his thoughts in until he explodes. Terry is just the unlucky person that has to deal with him.

"What- no!" There's a sad look on Terry's face, like he's not sure he really wants to say whatever comes next. "Bruce didn't kill the Joker- Tim went. He went crazy. It took a long time for him to heal." The words hit Jason, and as fast as it came, he just feels empty again.

So even then, Tim wasn't enough for Bruce.

"And. You didn't come back Jason."

It takes a moment for the words to really hit him.

"What?"

"You died. You're still dead, still buried. Or, the other you is?" Terry shifts from one foot to the other, uncomfortable with the turn of the conversation. "You. You never came back Jason. If Bruce is distant, and avoiding you, it's because his son is still dead and..."

Jason is just an awful reminder of what he lost. Terry doesn't need to say what Jason knows.

.

It's late when they get back to the manor. Terry leaves him in the foyer with the excuse he has to get to work, and Jason just stands there, a little lost. His mind was still swimming with what he learned.

He never thought that there was a universe where he never came back.

It makes sense, kind of. Jason's pretty sure Bruce would have still avoided him, but now it makes sense. 

So he wanders. Alfred would weep if he say the state of the manor now, Jason thinks. He'd be disappointed that Bruce didn't keep up appearances, but it makes sense.

If what Terry said was right, then Bruce must have been alone for a long time.

It's quiet, the only sound is Jason's boots on the hard floors. But-

His old bedroom door is open. There's a light from inside, faintly illuminating the dark hallway. When he peeks his head inside, he sees Bruce sitting on his old bed, the dog laying next to him.

Bruce still has those old Batman senses to him, and he turns slightly, catching Jason's eye before turning back around, staring out the window at the setting sun. 

"Can I come in?" Jason asks after a moment of silence.

"This is your room." Bruce says. He doesn't turn around again."

"It's your house." The argument is familiar, one that he and Bruce used to have when he was smaller. The nostalgia hits him in the chest, and quietly, he sits down next to Bruce.

It's awkward. He's not the same man Jason knows, and Jason's not the same kid he lost.

"How have you been Jason?" Bruce is stiff from where he sits next to Jason, and he kind of wants to laugh. All these years, and the man still can't carry a normal conversation.

"I'm an alternate version of your dead kid, and all you do is ask me how I've been?" he says instead. Bruce flinches like he's been hit, and Jason. Jason feels bad. He doesn't deserve this. 

"I dunno. Life's been hard. You... my Bruce is. Difficult." Jason says instead. "I've done a lot of really shitty stuff. Like, really bad, but I've been trying." It's weird, talking about this with Bruce, of all people, but, it also feels good. Therapeutic in a way. "But Bruce- He doesn't trust me, too busy acting like her better than everyone else, or wallowing in his own misguided guilt." Jason swallows, and the room is slowly getting darker by the minute.

"He sounds like a jackass." Bruce says, and Jason laughs. He can see a small smile on Bruce's face, and it just makes Jason feel a little bit more at ease. "What? I should know that better than anyone."

"Yeah, I guess you would."

The bed side lamp keeps flickering, and Jason guesses that it hasn't been used in years. He's not sure how often Bruce has come in here, thinking about him. If he's done the same for Tim.

"You didn't come back." Bruce says, and the dog whines from beside him, as if sensing his masters mood. "I lost you, then Tim. It seemed like I kept making mistakes and hurting the ones I loved most." Jason stays quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"It's... better now. For a long time I thought I deserved to be alone. Terry brought some of that light back into my life, and slowly, I began reaching out again. Did Terry tell you Dick's dating his mother?" That brings a laugh from Jason, and Bruce just smiles.

"He's a good kid." Jason says, and Bruce nods.

"He is. He told me... He told me not to waste this chance. A gift, he said. He's smart, despite the grades he gets."

"I'm guessing that's more of the night job than anything?"

It's nice, in it's own way. The chance to sit with Bruce, however different he is, and just talk.

"I know you're working on a way to send me home." he shifts where he sits, thumbing old scars on his hands. "And I get that, but... do you think we can sit and talk like this, you know, before I have to go." 

Bruce reaches over, taking Jason's hands in his, a small, sad smile on his face. "When you get to my age, you have a lot of regrets." Bruce says. "I think I'd regret this the most, if I didn't take the chance to get to know you."

"So... is that a yes."

"Don't be cheeky." Bruce says, nudging him. "Of course it is."

.

He stays for about two weeks. In that time he spends time with Terry, getting to know him. He poses as Bruce's grandson in public, visiting for only a little while if anyone asks. He gets to meet Dick again, and it's one thing dealing with an over emotional Dick Grayson from his time.

An over emotional, one eyed Dick who moonlights as a proud dad is something else.

It's nice though, spending time with his family with none of the bad blood between them. He's sad, when it's time to finally leave.

The machine uses the same technology as the one that sent him did, and Bruce presses something into his hands before he leaves.

"If you ever want to visit again." He says, stepping back a bit. 

"Isn't that against some sort of rule?" Jason smiles at him, and Bruce smiles back. His heart feels a bit lighter, a bit happier than when he first came.

"Maybe it is," Bruce says. "But the chance to spend time with you? That's something I'll always fight for." He's so earnest, hopeful, it kind of makes Jason want to cry.

"Thanks B." He says, after a moment. He pockets the device, and takes a deep breath. He's not looking forward to being sick again after being spit out of the wormhole.

"Oh, and Jason?" Bruce speaks, right before he steps through.

"Yeah Bruce?"

"Kick a little sense into the other me would you." His dad smiles. "You're a gift. Make sure he sees it."

Jason laughs, and salutes the old man. 

And then, he goes home.


End file.
